FATHER AND SON DIED INSTANTLY, SIDE BY SIDE
Father and son died instantly, side by side
THE Omagh Inquest has heard how a father and son died side by side while out shopping for food on the day a 300lb car bomb claimed the lives of 29 people and unborn twin girls.
Thomas White (65), retired of Knockgreenan Avenue, Fireagh, Omagh, and his son Bryan (27), a horticulturalist of the same address, had left the fruit and vegetable shop known as the Salad Bowl just minutes before the bomb detonated, the inquest was told.
From the major injuries they sustained they suffered instantaneous death, and were standing very close to the car bomb when it went off.
In a written statement Mrs. Mary Frew, joint owner of the shop, said the first she knew of the bomb scare was the police sirens, and she recalled how a police car stopped at the bottom of Market Street.
However there was no panic and people continued shopping.
She said Fred White told her there had been a coded warning "so it must be the real thing"; however there was still no panic.
She said she was at the shop counter when Fred White was in the shop and a woman came in to pick up her shopping.
"She was just away five minutes when the bomb went off," she said.
Her son, Ian Frew, said he had gone out to make a delivery and had come back into the shop to be told by his mother that there was a bomb scare.
He recalled Fred and Bryan White being in the shop, and that a coded warning had been given.
He said the Whites and other customers left the shop, and when the bomb went off he was thrown back into the shop counter.
Coroner: "This evidence would suggest the bomb went off as they exited the shop. Possibly if they remained in the shop they might have had some shelter from the effects. I get the impression you knew both of them."
Mr. Frew: "Yes. They were regulars in the shop."
Coroner: "Can you confirm, the impression I get from your deposition is just as they left the shop the bomb went off?"
Mr. Frew: "I served other customers in the shop then the bomb went off. The last lady had just walked out. I believe it was Mrs. Radford. We had finished serving them and they had just left."
Mr. Frew added that both he and his mother had been injured, but had recovered.
Constable John Nial Henry said that he identified the bodies of both Fred and Bryan White. He said he had known Mr. White senior for about five years, and saw Mr. White junior frequently. He said he had known Bryan White for some length of time, and had no difficulty in identifying them.
Dr. Derek Carson, Deputy State Pathologist, said the cause of death in relation to Thomas Fred White was due to multiple injuries. Dr. Carson said Mr. White's death would have been immediate.
The autopsy on Mr. Bryan White revealed that he also died from multiple injuries. He added that both men would have been quite close to the bomb. Expressing sympathy to Mrs. White, the Coroner said one point which might sustain her was that her husband and son would have known nothing about it.
"Clearly Mrs. White has experienced a very grievous loss with the death of her husband and the loss of her son. I am sure the other members of the family will provide strength and comfort to her. I know hearing the evidence must have very harrowing and brought back very sad memories" he said.
"I hope some comfort can be gained from Dr. Carson expressing his opinion that neither her husband nor her son would have known anything
about the explosion and death would have been instantaneous. I wish to extend to Mrs. White and the family circle very deep sympathy from every one in court this morning," Mr. Leckey added.
Mr. Ken Duncan, solicitor, who appeared for the next of kin, commented: "No words can adequately express the indescribable loss sustained by Mrs. White."
He said Mrs. White felt the loss of both men as keenly today as she did on the day they died two years ago.
'The passage of time has done nothing to ease that loss. Nonetheless, through me, she would like to thank you for your expression of sympathy, for the sensitive way you dealt with the inquest into the deaths of her husband and son, and thank the police officers that were of assistance and support to her at the time of her bereavement and, indeed to thank all those who have assisted her since then," Mr. Duncan added.
THE Omagh Inquest has heard how a father and son died side by side while out shopping for food on the day a 300lb car bomb claimed the lives of 29 people and unborn twin girls.
Thomas White (65), retired of Knockgreenan Avenue, Fireagh, Omagh, and his son Bryan (27), a horticulturalist of the same address, had left the fruit and vegetable shop known as the Salad Bowl just minutes before the bomb detonated, the inquest was told.
From the major injuries they sustained they suffered instantaneous death, and were standing very close to the car bomb when it went off.
In a written statement Mrs. Mary Frew, joint owner of the shop, said the first she knew of the bomb scare was the police sirens, and she recalled how a police car stopped at the bottom of Market Street.
However there was no panic and people continued shopping.
She said Fred White told her there had been a coded warning "so it must be the real thing"; however there was still no panic.
She said she was at the shop counter when Fred White was in the shop and a woman came in to pick up her shopping.
"She was just away five minutes when the bomb went off," she said.
Her son, Ian Frew, said he had gone out to make a delivery and had come back into the shop to be told by his mother that there was a bomb scare.
He recalled Fred and Bryan White being in the shop, and that a coded warning had been given.
He said the Whites and other customers left the shop, and when the bomb went off he was thrown back into the shop counter.
Coroner: "This evidence would suggest the bomb went off as they exited the shop. Possibly if they remained in the shop they might have had some shelter from the effects. I get the impression you knew both of them."
Mr. Frew: "Yes. They were regulars in the shop."
Coroner: "Can you confirm, the impression I get from your deposition is just as they left the shop the bomb went off?"
Mr. Frew: "I served other customers in the shop then the bomb went off. The last lady had just walked out. I believe it was Mrs. Radford. We had finished serving them and they had just left."
Mr. Frew added that both he and his mother had been injured, but had recovered.
Constable John Nial Henry said that he identified the bodies of both Fred and Bryan White. He said he had known Mr. White senior for about five years, and saw Mr. White junior frequently. He said he had known Bryan White for some length of time, and had no difficulty in identifying them.
Dr. Derek Carson, Deputy State Pathologist, said the cause of death in relation to Thomas Fred White was due to multiple injuries. Dr. Carson said Mr. White's death would have been immediate.
The autopsy on Mr. Bryan White revealed that he also died from multiple injuries. He added that both men would have been quite close to the bomb. Expressing sympathy to Mrs. White, the Coroner said one point which might sustain her was that her husband and son would have known nothing about it.
"Clearly Mrs. White has experienced a very grievous loss with the death of her husband and the loss of her son. I am sure the other members of the family will provide strength and comfort to her. I know hearing the evidence must have very harrowing and brought back very sad memories" he said.
"I hope some comfort can be gained from Dr. Carson expressing his opinion that neither her husband nor her son would have known anything
about the explosion and death would have been instantaneous. I wish to extend to Mrs. White and the family circle very deep sympathy from every one in court this morning," Mr. Leckey added.
Mr. Ken Duncan, solicitor, who appeared for the next of kin, commented: "No words can adequately express the indescribable loss sustained by Mrs. White."
He said Mrs. White felt the loss of both men as keenly today as she did on the day they died two years ago.
'The passage of time has done nothing to ease that loss. Nonetheless, through me, she would like to thank you for your expression of sympathy, for the sensitive way you dealt with the inquest into the deaths of her husband and son, and thank the police officers that were of assistance and support to her at the time of her bereavement and, indeed to thank all those who have assisted her since then," Mr. Duncan added.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1547
Published Date: 21-Sep-00
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